Roofing



Nov. 13, 1928. I 1,691,343

' J. B. FRENCH ROOFING Filed March 2 1927- Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED STA res ,PATENT OFFICE.

. JARED B. cannon, or nu'rnnnroan. NEW Jnnsny.

ROOFING.

Application filed March 24. 1927. Serial N0. 177,980.

This invention relates to roofing and more particularly to the type of fabricated from flexible ash alt-base material, and which is adapted toe laid in overlapping courses with the adjacent unit of.

each course widely spaced from each other. In order to afford sufficient protection for the roof, it is, however, essential to lap the adj acent elements in 'such manner that rain will 7 employ an excessive amount ofniaterial for covering a certain amount of root area in order to provide the requisiteweatherproof ing qualities. This is largely due to inaccuracies of laying. the probabilities of which must be reckoned with as a practical matter in devising effective roots. Another objection to many of the forms "heretofore devised arises from the wastage of material involved in cutting the elements from a sheet, such waste being troublesome to remove and adding materially to the cost of the elements.

Accordingly, one ifthe objects of the present invention is the provision of a shingle which is cut from a sheet of roofing materal without waste, and yet is so proportioned that it may be laid with a minimum amount of overlap so as to thereby elfect a saving in the material necessary to cover a given area.

As an additional feature of the present invention, the elements constructed as hereinafter to be more fully described, include shoulder portions which may be utilized as a guiding means in properly spacing adjacent units in each courseas well as to properly position the successive courses. In the absence of simple and effective guidingmeans for alinin the; elements and nailing, a certain amount of irregularity of overlapping of adjacent elements is almost inevitable even when the elements are laid by careful workmen. For this reason, it has heretofore been found necessary to lay wide-spaced elements with an excessive overlap since otherwise the roof would be subject to exposure of some of the nailheads and to places with no overlap at all due to practically unavoidable irregularities in spacing the elements. Hence in providing selt-alining and self-spacing features according to this invention. it is intended to minimize in a practical way the roofing which is overlap reduired'for safeprotection and thus to economize on material. I

With the foregoing, and other objects in View, embodiments ofthe invention areilhistrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 represents a' roofing element formed according to my invention.

Figures 2 and 3 represent slightly modified forms of-roofing elements. I

Figure 4 represents a sheet of roofing ma- ,terial of indeterminate length, illustrating the manner in which roofing elements according to the present invention may be cut therefrom without waste. Figure 5 shows the appearance of the several elements of the kind shown in Figure 1 when assembled on the roof.

Referring in detail to the figures, the shingle of the present invention may be said .to comprise a body portion 1, a head portion bottom portion 3'. This element is 2, and a preferably composed of flexible roofing material s'uch as is commonly employed in the industry, and comprises a felted base of rag, asbestos, or similar fibers, suitably impregnated with asphaltic or similar waterproofing material and coated with a layer of asphaltie material such as blown asphalt, and provided with a surfacing layer of crushed slate or other mineral matter partially embedded into the asphaltic coating.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that the marginal side edges 6 and 8 of the head portion 2 and the bottom portion 3 respectively, are tapered downwardly and are defined by lines, which if extended, would form one continuous line, while the marginal side edges 7 of the body portion 1 are tapered upwardly at an angle substantially equal to the angle at which the edges 6 and 8 are downwardly tapered. so as to provide outwardly extending shoulders 9 at the upperend of the body portion 1, and similar shoulders 10 at the upper end of the bottom portion, 3.

In view of this equality of the taper as abovedescribed, it will be perceived that the marginal edges 6 and 8 on each edge of the shingle are parallel to on the opposite edge thereof. The extent to which the marginal edges 6 are oitset from the upper extremity of the body portion is therefore, substantially the same as the extent to which the marginal side edges 7 of the body portion are ofiset from the bottom portion 3,

the marginal edge 7 so that the shoulders 9 and 10 are substa n tiall equal,the marginal side edges 7 of the body portion 1 joining the inward extremity of the shoulders 9 with the outward extremity of shoulders 10. The upper edge .11 of the element is substantially parallel with its lower edge 12, the marginal edges 6 formin with the upper edge 11 an acute angle w ich is the supplement of the obtuse angle formed by the marginal edge 8 with the bottom port-ion 12 of the element.

As previously mentioned, the shingle is preferably shaped with complemental sides so that it may be cut with others of the same shape from a sheet with no waste material except a negligible amount at the beginning and ending of a sheet. The manner in which such shingles are arranged in the sheet from which they are cutis illustrated in Figure 4-, it being understood of course that the sheet may be any multiple of the width shown. Since the general contour of the shingle is a tapering one, alternate shingles in the sheet as shown in Figure 4 will be inverted. )n account of the lighting effect due to the grain of the surface where the shingle is covered with crushed slate or the like which results in a slight but noticeable change of color tone according to the direction of the light falling upon it, it may be desirable to sort out alternate shingles thus cut from the strip in order to prevent confusion of shingles in mixed color tones.

The cutting of the shingles from the sheet may be accomplished in any preferred manner, for example, by passing the sheet between rolls, one of which is provided with a pair of knives, each shaped to form a zigzag cut across the sheet so as to sever successive shingles from the sheet; or the cutting may be done in two steps, the inclined lines of severance being cut in one step and the short connecting longitudinal cuts made by a separate step to complete the severance of the shin les from the sheet. Machines suitable for this purpose are well known in the art.

In order to efiect economy in laying the units of the present invention, the head'portions 2 and the bottom portions 3 of each unit are preferably of substantially the same depth,the body ortion having a substan tially greater dept than the head portions and bottom portions. The provision of a greater depth in the body portion 1 than in the head and bottom portions, and the special manner in which this element is cut, enables these elements to be laid on the roof with a minimum amount of side-lap without sacrificing any of the protection which a root of this character should provide.

Figure 5 shows the manner in which these units are assembled on the roof and by referring thereto it will be seen that they are adapted to be laid with the adjacent shingles of each course widely spaced from each other.

Figure 3,

lVith shingles known in the prior art, it has not been possible to greatly increase the coverage attainable with a given type of shingle without sacrificing necessary protection. vVith the element embodied in the present invention, however, and by virtueof the peculiar configurationjllereoff, it is possible to effect a substantialsaving in' the amount of material required to cover a given roofing area Without subjecting the resultant roof to defects arising from laying of the units with too small an amount of overlap. 'F or example, it will be noted that when shingles are laid wide-spaced, the butt edge of any shingle is usually but little below the top edge of the shingle second below in the vertical row be side 1t. In other words, the edge 12 of a shingle in the course marked D (Figure 5) lies only a relatively short distance below the upper edge 11 of an adjacent shingle in course A. Hence, a point of relative vulnerability appears due to the possibility of rain driving up diagonally under the edge 12 of a D course shingle and getting through just above the edge 11 of an adjacent A course shingle. Instead of being driven up by the wind, water may be backed up by ice formations. This danger is greatly reduced by applicants shingles by reason of the sidewise project ion of the head portion 2 of the shingle in the B course which is directly below the shingle in the D course. This protection is afforded by all three forms of shingle illustrated. Where the side edges are slanted as in Figures 1 and 2, this further increases the lateral distance which must be traveled by water along the path described above in order to penetrate the roof.

In Figure 5 the elements of the first course are indicated at A. A, these elements being first laid with their horizontal edges parallel with the eaves of the roof and being superposed over a suitable starter course in the well known manner. In laying this first course, one of the shingles as herein shown may be employed as a pattern or guiding means to properly and accurately space the individual units of this first course. T he ease with which successive courses are properly and accurately laid depends upon the accuracy with which the shingles of the first course are spaced and alined. inasmuch as the succeeding courses are guided in the la ving thereof by the shoulders 10 of the units in the underlying course. Accordingly, in order to accurately lay the first course, the first shingle A may be nailed down with its bottom edge 3 parallel with the eaves of the roof. Employing another shingle. by reversing the same end for end and holding the same in that position adjacent the shingle A, as shown in dotted lines at X in with the shoulder 10 of the guiding shingle abutting the lower right hand corner of the shingle A, the second shingle Lit) A is then placed with its marginal edge 8 adjacent the opposite edge of the guiding shingle, so that the lower left hand corner of the shingle A abuts the shoulder 10 of the guiding shingle. The shingle A? is then nailed and the guiding shingle removed and similarly emplo ed to properly space the succeedingshing es of the first course.

The second course indicated at B is then laid so that the corners formed at the extremities of the bottom edge 12 coincide with the corners formed at the juncture of the edges 8 and shoulders 10 of the units in the first course, the shoulders thereby serving as a means to properly gauge the distance to which successive courses overlie the course below; Since the segments 7 of the sides of each shingle are accordingly to this invention respectively parallel to the segments 6 and 8 of the opposite sides of the shingle, the length of the shoulders 9 and 10 will be deter mined by the amount of taper and the height of the body portion 1. As the length of the shoulder 10 largely determines the amount of minimum side la of the shingles as laid in Figure 5, this si e lap may thus be controlled to some extent by the choice of the taper of the shingle as a whole and the height of the body portion 1. As may be seen from Figure 5, the arrangement of the side-lapping portions of the shingles is such that a comparatively narrow side lap, e. g., threequarters of an inch, is found to be ample ill for adequate protection against. the weather since an overlap of this amount under the butt portion of the shingle means that considerably more overlap will be present under the head, portion of the shingle where it is most needed. Thus the shape of the shingle ail'ords a marked economy of material without diminishing the protective quality of the roof.

The units of the third and fourth courses 0 and D are laid in a manner similar to that described in laying the course cedure is continued until the entire roof is covered.

The head lap, or the distance which the bottom of the units in the third course overlap the units of the first course, will be substantially equal to the depth of the body portion 1 of the element in view of the fact that the head portion 3 and the bottom portion 3 are substantially equal in depth. rordingly any desired an'iount of head lap may lie-provided by varying the relation of the depth of the body portion 1 to that of the body portions 2 and 3 While retaining equality in the depth of the portions 2 and 3. its an illustration, when using which are 14 inches in. length, the body portion thereof may be 6 inches deep, while the head portion 2 and the bottom portion 3 e each i inches deep, so that when the units are laid with a. 4: exposure, the lap are not parallel E, and the pro shingles will be 6 inches. Thus when the roof is completely laid with the elements embodying the present invention, and in the manner herein i lustrated, it will be found that substantial, L90 square feet of material will cover 100 square feet of roof area. The saving of material thereb eifeeted accordingly amounts to substantially 23 square feet for each square of roofin area necessary to be covered. It is also to be noted that the completed roof plresents hexagonal outlines which are liig 1y ornamental and pleasing to the eye of the observer.

In nailing the shingles in place, one nail is driven immediately above each of the shoulders 10, as shown at 16, so that each nail passes through the adjacent shingle of the underlying course at a point near the upper part of the body portion thereof, and also passes through the underlying shingle of the second underlying course ,at a point adjacent the upper edge 12 thereof. Thus, while each shingle has only two nails driven therethrough, one along each edge, When the roof is completely laid, each shingle above the starter course will have six nails passing therethrough,-three along each side thereof. As will be understood, this feature aids in providing a very secure roof, whereof the individual units are not subject to being blown up and caused to curl by strong winds.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate two slightly modified forms of shingles embodying my invention, both forms being capable of being out without waste from a sheet, having head and butt portions of equal depth spaced by a body portion of greater depth, and guide shoulders for alining and nailing formed on the side edges. The form shown in Figure 2 is generally tapering or trapezoidal as in Figure l, but the edges of the body portion respectively with opposite side edges of the head and butt iortions. The form shown in Figure 3 comprises side edges perpendicular with respect to the top and bottom edges.

' 1 claim z- 1. A flexible roofing laid Widely spaced with others in courses and comprising spaced, downwardly portions and an intermediate upwardly tapering portion,

2. Pl. rooting element having mutually coinpleniental side edges with shoulders defining head, body and butt portions of the element, said head and butt portions tapering downwardly, and said body portion tapering upwardly and having its niuilziinuni and minimum widths substantially equal respectively the minimum width of the head portion and the maximum width of the butt portion.

3. rooting element having shoulders in the side ges thereof defining liead, body and butt portions the element, the relative aver' 'e widths of said portions decreasing element adapted-to be 7 i so in the order named, said head and butt portions being of substantially equal depth less than that of said body portion. 7

4. A roofing element having mutually complemental side edges with shoulders therein defining head, body and butt portions of the element, said body portion having an average of flexible elements widely spaced in each course, each of said elements having a head width less than that of the head portion and more than that of the butt portion, said body portion also having a depth greater than that of either of the other two portions.

5. A roofing element having mutually complemental side edges with shoulders dividing the side edges into segments and defining head, body and butt portions of the element,

the head and butt segments ofeach side edge being alined and at an angle with the corresponding body segment.

6. A flexible asphalt base roofing element adapted to be laid widely spaced with others in courses and comprising a body portion, a head portion, and a butt portion, the marginal side edges of the head portion converging downwardly and being substantially in alinement with the marginal side edges of the butt portion, and extending at an angle to the bottom edge of the element, the marginal side edges of the body portion being parallel with the opposite -marginal side edges of the head and butt portions.

7. A flexible asphaltbase roofing clement adapted to be laid widely spaced with others in courses and comprising a body portion, a head portion, and a butt portion, the marginal side edges of the head portion. being substantially in alinement with the marginal side edges of the butt portion and extending at an angle to the bottom edge of the element, the marginal side edges of the body portion extending at an angle to the marginal edge of the head portion on the same side of the element.

8. A roof composed of overlapping courses portion, a butt portion and an intermediate body portion, said three portions having different average widths, the body portion of each element in one course side-lapping the head portion of an adjacent element in an underlying course to a greater extent than the intermediate portion of said element in said underlying course is side-lapped by the butt portion of said element in the first-named course.

9. 'A roof composed of overlapping courses of elements widely spaced in each course, each of said elements comprising spaced downwardlytapering portions separated by an intermediute upwardly tapering portion.

10. A roof composed of wide spaced elements laid inoverlapping courses, each said element having side edges with shoulders defining three segments of each side edge, the elements being arranged with their lowermost corners registering upon and with lower .shoulders of the side edges of the elements in the course next below.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JARED B. FRENCH.. 

